1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the medical field of the electromagnetism applied to the therapy of some diseases like osteoporosis, bone and tissue diseases and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for sequentially generating pulsing electromagnetic fields intended for therapeutic use in bone and muscle diseases. The invention also relates to an apparatus, preferably a bed, for applying electromagnetic fields to a patient in need of electromagnetic therapy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide magnetic therapy by subjecting a patient to a magnetic field from permanent magnets and several magnetic devices applied in different therapies, mainly in kinesiology.
These devices are mainly based on at least two coils that generate a stationary magnetic field. The diseased parts of the patient have to be passed through the magnetic field lines.
The field strength that is necessary for these treatments requires the use of relatively large coils, therefore, these devices are bulky and quite heavy.
It would be therefore convenient to have a new device for applying electromagnetic therapies and capable of being portable and operable with batteries and also capable of being combined with an apparatus, like a therapeutic bed, for treating larger areas of the body of a patient resting on the bed.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a circuit or device overcoming the above problems and drawbacks, the device being capable of sequentially generating pulsing electromagnetic fields and comprising at least two signal generators, one signal being a high frequency signal and another signal being a low frequency signal, a comparator and an amplifier for treating the signals for generating pulsing fields that can be applied to a desired part of the body of a patient through irradiating or radiating means, the device also including a monitoring circuit for monitoring the application of the electromagnetic pulsating field.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a device for applying electromagnetic therapy by sequentially generating pulsing electromagnetic fields for treatment of bone diseases and osteoporosis, the apparatus being of the type generating low power electromagnetic pulses, the device comprising a high frequency signal generator; a low frequency signal generator comprising an astable multivibrator including a controlling means comprising a selector connected to a plurality of capacitive reactances that may be selectively and alternatively enabled for varying the charging time between 1.25 and 1.5 microseconds; a comparator having inputs connected to respective outputs of said signal generators; an amplifier circuit having an input connected to an output of the comparator, for amplifying an output signal of the comparator comprised of a high frequency pulse train; a converter circuit connected to an output of the amplifier circuit, for monitoring the amplifier circuit output; and an inductive reactance connected to the output of the amplifier circuit and comprising a means for radiating the pulsing electromagnetic fields, said radiating means being defined by an open circuit coil, wherein one terminal of the coil is connected to the output of said amplifier circuit by means of a coaxial cable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a therapeutic apparatus for applying pulsing electromagnetic fields for treating a patient in need of the therapy, the apparatus comprising the above described device and a resting table for receiving the patient, the radiating means comprising at least one radiating strap movably arranged along the table, the strap being selectively located in a proper position for irradiating a desired part of the body of the patient.
It is even another object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic pulse generator that, unlike the traditional devices using stationary magnetic fields, provides pulsing fields that are extremely effective for treating different bone diseases, and particularly in the case of osteoporosis, with the recovery periods of time which are significantly shorter.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a device with better therapeutic effectiveness by using pulsing fields based on the generation of a train of high frequency waves, preferably 60 microsecond pulses in sequences varying between 1.25 and 1.5 seconds in relation to the position selected, with a controlling means comprising a selector for selecting different capacitive reactances.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description.